Explore alternatives to widening of Sarjapur Road, says ex-MLA

The government is bent on widening Sarjapur Road instead of widening alternative roads, said former MLA B V Ramachandra Reddy.

Reddy has formed the Committee Fighting Widening of Sarjapur Road to oppose the proposed widening of the road. Reddy said widening of road from Marathahalli to Electronics City will reduce traffic from Koramangala, HSR Layout and other surrounding places.

“Such is the planning of BBMP that it brings traffic to the city only to divert it later. It is causing regular traffic jams,” said Reddy.

He suspected vested interests of powerful people in the widening of Sarjapur Road. He opined that big realtors who have invested on Sarjapur Road must be pushing for widening the road.

Reddy claimed that at least 16 flats of an apartment will give way for widening of the road.

The BBMP is insisting that land losers should accept transferable development rights (TDR) instead of monetary compensation as demanded by the committee members.

On the other hand, the committee wants compensation to be paid according to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. The Act says landlosers should get twice the guidance value of the land.

Reddy said, “The BBMP says this project is in the comprehensive development plan and should be implemented. There are other priority roads like the one from Marathahalli to Electronics City, which the BBMP is reluctant to take up.”

Loss in TDR
“The TDR market has not picked up because of various reasons. There is no buyer for TDRs because of corruption. Builders bribe officials and get extra floors built. If such is the case, who will buy TDR?” questioned Reddy.

He added that BBMP offers TDR twice the extent of land surrendered. Yet, there is no bank created by the government. “Only private parties are running the TDR market. There is so much of uncertainty in the TDR business that no one would accept it,” said Reddy.